Suspension strut bearings are a part of the wheel suspension in single wheel suspensions. The suspension of wheels contributes to a desired driving safety and driving comfort as also to easy and precise steering of the wheels. The wheel suspension must keep roadway noises away from the car body and must be as light as possible. Depending on the structure, the suspension strut bearing guides the shock absorber spring and constitutes a support surface for the shock absorber end stop. The suspension strut bearing takes up the radial and axial forces transmitted through the shock absorber spring or shock absorber and acts such that during steering movements and spring deflection, the shock absorber spring turns with low friction and free of faulty gripping and thus operates without a righting moment.
Suspension strut bearings often form a part of so-called McPherson suspension struts. The suspension strut is made up substantially of a spring, a shock absorber and an axle stub. The suspension strut bearing comprises a cap that is fixed on the chassis side dome as well as a guide ring on which the shock absorber spring is supported and through which the shock absorber spring is guided. The guide ring is mounted for rotation relative to the cap. The bearing enables a turning of the spring relative to the car body during steering movements because the entire suspension strut rotates during these movements.
DE 10 2006 057 559 A1 discloses a suspension strut bearing comprising a cap and a guide ring that is rotatable relative to the cap. A thrust bearing is arranged between the cap and the guide ring. A sealing element is made in one piece with the cap and extends on the inner and on the outer periphery of the cap. The sealing element is configured in the form of sealing lips.